Storage bins have been used for decades in a number of different environments. For example, open-top bins are usually used in warehouses for storing various elements so that they are readily accessible when needed.
Usually these bins are formed from a sheet metal material and the parts thereof are either welded, riveted or bolted together. In the case of storage units made of strong, thin material, such as steel, spot-welding is the most favored method of holding the elements together. Since spot-welding requires rather special equipment and expertise, such assembly is done at the factory, which precludes shipping the bins in a collapsed condition. Thus, the size and bulk of the assembled bins necessitates large containers and wasted shipping space, since the inside volume of the container is wasted space. Also, in certain environments, particularly when dealing with the military, all components that are provided must have certain minimum strength characteristics in response to stresses and tension.
Normally such storage units also must be free of protrusions and projections on the inner surfaces, which precludes using bolt and nuts fasteners since the bolt and/or nut must usually protrude from the inner or outer surface.
Thus, there remains a need for a collapsible bin construction that has sufficient rigidity when in use, but can still be assembled without any special tools or fasteners.